The Family of the Century
by exaigon
Summary: 1987: The Dursley's leave their nephew in Santa Carla in an effort to be rid of him. Now with sequel: The Lost Boy
1. Chapter 1

**The** **Beginning**

They had left.

Boy whimpered and crouched under the pier, shoving himself as far into the crack between the wood and sand he could. What was he supposed to do? Orphanages would kill a freak like him and if anyone found out…

Boy's breath caught in his throat. He needed to be quiet, always quiet. But what was he supposed to do?

It was already dark out, the only light coming from the rides shining through the slats, the noise of people screaming and machines whirring were overwhelming. He just wanted to be back in the safety of cupboard in Surrey. Perhaps he could have found his way back, he'd done it before when they left him London but this time he was 'across the pond' as Aunt Petunia had said. In America. Across an ocean. So very very far. And so very very alone.

"Only for a little while, Pet, just to take care of business. Should only need a night," Uncle Vernon had said. They took Dudley and Boy to the boardwalk. He should have known something was wrong. They never wanted to take Boy anywhere. Then they were gone, lost in the crowd. Boy had the feeling he would not find them even if he tried. So now he was here trying not to cry, crying only brought trouble and pain.

And there he stayed for hours while people left to go home and the lights of the shops and rides shut down. All that was left was the loud roar of the ocean, an unfamiliar and scary noise. Boy sniffled bringing his ripped long sleeve up to wipe at his nose as his teeth started chattering. The wind coming up from the water was misty and cold he hadn't noticed he'd been getting damp. It wasn't as bad as the cold nights he'd been left outside in the winter, the air was warmer and salty, but it was wet. Wet was always the worst because it did bad things to his lungs that left him sick and curled in his cupboard for days. But he didn't have a cupboard now...

Boy sucked in a breath and squeezed his eyes shut in thought. First things first he had to find someplace warm before he got sick. Uncurling from his hiding spot didn't sound like a good idea but… he needed to. Maybe he could go digging through a garbage can to find some food as well. Food and warmth, he had a plan!

Boy grinned slightly, eyes popping open in excitement now that he knew what he was going to do. He wiggled free of wooden boards and sand, rolling slightly down the hill before he caught himself on hands and knees. With a huff of exertion he was up and down the rest of the hill. He was almost to the stairs, his shoes softly digging into the chilling sand, when he caught sight of a blurry orange light further down the beach.

Even squinting didn't help him see like it usually did. That meant it was really far but also bright. Was it a fire? Fire was warm! Maybe it was a bonfire like he heard Dudley say people did on beaches.

Boy didn't even notice he'd been getting closer until he could hear music. Where there was music there was people. People either meant food or pain.

His stomach gave a sad small growl and Boy winced bringing up a hand up to clench it in the green and white striped ill-fitting shirt. Possible food it was.

He drifted closer listening to the harsh beat of music that his relatives would call freakish. There were voices now too, some singing along, others a humming chatter. Loud laughter rang out over the beach and Boy paused as he came over a sandy dune. Men and women were dancing around a large crackling fire bottles in hand taking a drink every now and then. They were most definitely freaks. Not any kind that he had seen before but definitely ones that the neighborhood would turn away.

Some of the men had spiked hair, some wild and long, others had piercings and collars around their necks. Most had leather jackets and heavy looking boots… 'punks' Boy thinks they are called. The women looked much the same with colorful hair, piercings, leather accessories.

One of them spun around the man with spiked green hair, her own black strands swirling with her along with her earthy brown skirts. She laughed at something the man said and turned seemingly looking for something on the dune when she spotted Boy. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth formed a small 'o'. Boy ducked behind the dune heart racing and hands shaking. They were freaks too but what if they didn't accept him? What if he was an outcast among freaks, unloved, and unwanted like Aunt Petunia always said?

"Hey, kid."

Boy yelped and startled forward spinning to face her, panicked.

"Hey, hey! It's okay I'm not gonna hurt you!"

Her voice was loud and sort of raspy and hard to be heard over the music but her eyes were kind. Like a sister he had seen looking at their younger brother at the park before. They were probably a dark brown but in the backlight of the fire they looked black. Her face was shadowed but he could see enough that her smile calmed him.

"You look hungry, huh kid? I don't got much, but we got a few snacks some of the guys brought for the party."

Boy said nothing instead choosing to study her more as her bare feet finally crested the hill. She wore a short white top that left her stomach bare but had see through fabric that fell gently down her arms in large sleeves. Her brown skirt seemed to be made of multiple layers that fell to her knees leaving the brown leather anklet on clear display. Her hair fell to mid back, streaming over her shoulders as she leaned forward to get a better look at him. There was a piercing in the middle of her lip and one going through the side of her eyebrow.

"Hm. Well, you certainly look hungry. I'm Amy. And your name?"

Boy stayed silent. He didn't have a name other than Freak or Boy and the last person he had told that got him in trouble with the Dursleys.

"Shy, huh? That's okay! You don't have to talk but why don't you come eat?"

She held out her hand and Boy flinched back. Amy's smile strained but she didn't move. Hesitantly he reached for her, slipping his bony fingers into her smooth grasp.

"C'mon then. I'll make sure none of the others bother you too much. They might be a little rowdy from drinking but they're all pretty harmless."

Boy gulped as the bonfire came back into view along with the people. He was gently tugged over to a large blue cooler a bit farther from the fire. She pushed his shoulder down a bit and Boy dropped heavily into the sand. Miss Amy was gentle, nothing like his relatives, and it made him relax. As long as they didn't know how freaky he was they would accept him. Miss Amy was digging through the wine cooler and came up with a sharp laugh as the green haired man came back and slapped her on the butt.

"Toby stop it! I got a kid to care for right now."

The man snorted. "Always taking care of the needy, huh, babe? Why don't you hurry it up so we can get back to dancing?"

Miss Amy stuck her tongue out and shoved a bottle into Toby's hand. "Go away, man. I'll be over when I'm over," she laughed.

Toby grinned, giving Boy a wink as he walked unsteadily back over to the group jumping around the flames.

"Sorry bout him, kid. He's sweet I swear."

Boy couldn't help but smile right back at Miss Amy in the face of her blinding grin. With an 'aha' she pulled out a lunchable and a bottle of coke. "There we go! Always gotta have something to snack on."

Boy stared at the items she set in his lap. He'd never had pop or lunchable before. That was all for Dudley and good normal children.

"I can't," he muttered.

"Oh bah! Of course you can. There's plenty more where that came from, well more in my house, though we do have a few more snacks here. That was the only Lunchable. There's more coke if you finish that one," she slurred happily pulling a bottle out of the cooler and popping the top off.

Boy watched her wander over to Toby, hopping lightly on her feet and kicking up sand. Then he turned his attention to the food and drink still sat on his lap. With trembling fingers and a growling stomach he tugged at the covering ripping it open carefully and setting it softly in the sand. He pulled the plastic wrapper off placing it on top of the covering. It flapped slightly and Boy grabbed it before it could fly off in the small breeze. He tucked it in the box instead. Then he started in on the crackers and the cheese, nibbling slowly and letting the flavor sit on his tongue. It was gone much too fast. The meat quickly followed and the reese's candy was gobbled up in an instant. He turned to the coke twisting the cap as hard as he could. It didn't budge. He pouted at it and looked up to find Miss Amy. Maybe she could help. Uncle Vernon always had to open Dudley's so maybe it was an adult thing.

She was twirling around hand in hand with Toby, weaving in and out of the other punks. She glanced over and Boy stared with squinted eyes, coke clenched in both hands. Her smile widened. She was so pretty and nice he couldn't help but smile back. She said something to Toby, her lips moving slowly, and then she was coming towards Boy.

"Heya kid! Need some help with that?"

"Please," he whispered his voice being swallowed by the pounding rhythm of whatever the music was.

Miss Amy agreed as if she could actually hear him reaching for the bottle. That's when the screaming started. Miss Amy turned and her high pitched voice split the air but Boy could see nothing of what scared her with her body and the cooler in the way. Nor could he breath when suddenly she was on top of him. Boy squeaked in surprise but it was muffled into the girl's chest as she slid forward across the sand, one of her arms like a steel band around him.

He could still hear the screaming, the music, and some animalistic growling and howling. Where animals attacking the party? Boy shivered, muscles tightening against his will. He hated dogs. He really hoped it wasn't dogs.

A snarl sounded much too close for comfort and then Miss Amy was yanked up, a scream ripped from her lips. Boy went up with her part of the way before he fell back when her arm went limp. He landed with a quiet oomph, his still sand filled clothes rubbing abrasively against his skin. Something warm splattered along his face and neck and he squeezed his eyes shut to avoid it blinding him. His vision was bad enough as it was, he didn't need anything getting in them and making it worse. There was hooting laughter, more snarls, and what sounded like wet gurgling. Like when the Dursley's used mouthwash but thicker.

Boy blinked his eyes open carefully to stare at the man that had his face buried in Amy's shoulder. He couldn't see much again as the light from the fire was behind them and the cooler was blocking even more of his view. They hadn't gotten very far, only a meter or so over and behind the cooler.

Amy wasn't moving anymore, in fact she was almost dangling from the strangers hold. Then she was dropped to the sand with a thwump.

"Miss Amy," he whispered staring at her unmoving form. He was squinting enough to see the red coating her neck in the firelight that shone passed the very large form of whoever had been holding her before.

"Fuck."

Boy blinked switching his gaze up to the shadowed form that stepped forward and crouched in front of him. He could barely make out a thin nose and dark dark eyes through the shadows.

"Fuck. How old are you?"

Boy shivered, clutching the coke Amy hadn't yet taken from him. Who was this? What had they done to Miss Amy? Why was Miss Amy bleeding from her neck so much, because he could recognize the sight of blood when it so often stained his own hands, and… why was it suddenly so quiet?

"Dwayne."

The man stood and spun on the spot. "Don't even think about it, David." It sounded more like a growl than the deep human voice it had been just a second ago. "He's just a kid."

"No witnesses, Dwayne."

There was a long drawn out hiss. "Even Max says no children."

A really really light blonde, hair spiked and short on top with longer strands trailing down his shoulders, came into view face twisted in a snarl and eyes a bright orange. Boy gulped as he watched the firelight glint off the red around the man's mouth and the long fangs on display. Vampire. The black outfit didn't help with that image. They had to be. Just like that TV show Dudley accidentally watched when the baby whale had lost the remote and Aunt Petunia had taken a nap upstairs. Boy had watched it, fascinated with how they would drink blood instead of eat food, from the slats in his cupboard that Uncle Vernon had left open.

He glanced down at Amy's still form. She was dead then. The forever sleep that you didn't wake up from. Boy didn't think he wanted to go to sleep forever. He bit his lip.

And was startled at the sudden fight that broke out. The two snarled and flit around faster than his eyes could track. They were a blur, much blurrier than usual, and Boy shoved himself up onto his side and scooted farther back, closer to the waves and the cold wind rolling in over the waters.

"Hey little man!"

Boy yelped trying to roll away as fast as he could before a set of arms wrapped around his chest and legs hoisting him from the sand with ease and starting towards the fire.

It was another vampire, face still twisted in a grin. Now they were facing the fire so Boy got the full view of the man's face. It was bit scruffy with hair, his eyes were a bright shining blue, and his blonde hair was everywhere. He looked terrifying.

The bottle creaked in his hands.

"Didn't want you getting caught in the crossfire, yeah? Never seen Dwayne so worked up man…"

"Really Paul? You're bringing him over here? How high are you?"

Oh. There was a fourth one. That was… tossing the… bodies into the fire…

"Is that even a question," Paul laughed, swaying and spinning. Boy felt slightly dizzy.

The last vampire snorted, snatching him from Paul. It was a lot gentler than he was expecting from the men that were going to kill him.

"Finish up will you? I'll keep watch on the little guy."

Paul let out a loud noise that sounded like a whining dog follow by a huff. Boy squeezed his eyes shut to make the spinning stop and to try and drown out the loud snarling with the crackling of the fire.

He felt the shifting as the vampire sat down but refused to open his eyes, clutching the coke bottle like a lifeline. Maybe they would make it painless? Boy wasn't very fond of pain. He worked extra hard to learn all the rules just to avoid it actually.

"Hey."

Was being dead painless?

"Kid? Helloooo?"

Did Heaven exist like the Dursley's believed? Did Hell? Oh. If Hell existed that where freaks went. He didn't really want to go to Hell. Maybe Miss Amy would be there. It wouldn't be so bad then right? These freaks had been nice to Boy when normal people hadn't.

"Aw, man. I am so not equipped to deal with- Fuck!"

Boy yelped, he was doing that a lot he needed to keep quiet, as he was jostled, the vampires, very strong and sharp -ow-, nails digging into his arm and leg. When Boy opened his eyes, startled out of his thoughts, he was surprised to notice they weren't near the ground anymore. At all.

They were several meters above it. It gave a really good view of the fire and Paul who was circling around it to the other two vampires. The darker haired one from before had the blond pinned beneath him.

The vampire above him was muttering about brothers and watching where they fight but Boy heard little of it. He was still focused on the fact they were flying. Off the ground, in the air. It was… exciting. New. Special. It felt…

 _Right._

"You can fly," he questioned excitedly.

The vampire glanced down at his eager green eyes and blinked. Then he grinned. "Sure can midget."

"Oy! Marko. Time to go!"

Marko's grin grew even bigger.

"Do you like going fast?"

Boy didn't really know but if it was anything like how he was feeling now he would love it. He nodded quickly before Marko could change his mind. The curly haired man let out a whoop that was echoed by two other voices and then they were off.

Boy had never felt anything like it; the wind rushing through his hair, the sting of it in his eyes, his heart hammering in his chest, his stomach fluttering like a swarm of butterflies. It felt good. Great. Fantastic! Is this what people felt normally when they did things they liked? Boy never wanted to stop. A holler sounded over Marko's shoulder and Paul swooped by twisting in midair to do a silly trick.

Boy couldn't help the bubbling laughter that spilled from his lips. He was free! Free from Dursley's. Free in the air! Marko's arms were like very strong seatbelts but that didn't deter Boy from his enjoyment. They hadn't discouraged him yet so he would take his happiness where he could. He never really got to have any before.

In response to his laughter there were several excited hollers. He couldn't make out who it was from but it didn't matter. Boy joined in.

For the first time in his memories he felt like he belonged.

It was over much too soon. The group landed in front of a very normal looking house and Boy couldn't help but tense. He didn't like normal very much. It's freshly painted white door and white picket fence with surrounding bushes reminded him too much of Surrey.

"Hey hey, chill man. If we were going to eat you we would have done it already," Marko reassured him.

"We still can," what could only be David muttered from behind them. He was the only one that hadn't been nice to him.

Paul booed at David and Boy could barely make out a small hiss like the one the Miss Amy's killer had made before. They acted really animal like. It was strange but Boy himself was a freak so he wasn't going to judge. Maybe it was just a Vampire thing?

"Boys." The front door was open now light spilling out onto the porch. "I see you've brought a guest. Why don't you come in?"

It was said so placidly that Boy was almost terrified. The man in the door looked like a normal person, someone the Dursley's could be seen associating with and yet here he was talking to these vampires like he knew them. Like he was in charge of them. The man's glasses glinted as he stared down at Boy with a small smile.

"You are quite the smart boy aren't you?"

What?

"Come in. Come in. Take a seat and David if you don't put that cigarette out you won't enjoy the rest of your time here."

David scoffed, pushing past them and stubbing the fag on doorframe. Marko followed at a sedate pace and plopped himself in the plush looking beige armchair making sure to arrange Boy comfortably in his lap. Now he sat leaning against the cool chest of the vampire his skinny legs stretching out in front him, not quite long enough to bend over the edge of the chair and the other's longer legs. Now that he was in the brightened light of the living room he didn't have to squint as much even though most everything still had a slight blur to them.

Dwayne sat on the matching sectional couch, the edge closest to him, his features now in full view for Boy to study. He had to be of Native American descent, his darker skin and naturally darker hair reminding him of all the Indian and Cowboy movies Dudley took to watching on this trip. He was wearing a leather jacket with a big cat, it had spots so Boy thought it was a cheetah, stretching down the sleeve. His chest was bare but he was wearing a necklace strung with multiple bits and bobs and what looked like a tiny animal skull at the bottom.

Paul sat next to Dwayne a large grin still on his face. His hands were bouncing and playing a rhythm along the on leg he had kicked up onto the other. His jeans were white and tight fitting and his black tailcoat jacket was slightly too big for him. His boots rode to mid calf with some kind of black fabric going even higher.

David sat at the other end of the sectional, a scowl on his lips as he glared at everyone in the room. When Boy said black, he meant all black. Black coat, black boots, black gloves, black trousers and, Boy was willing to bet, black pants. His hair and pale skin was the only contrast to the void of color; it seemed to fit him, though.

The new man had dragged a chair in from the dining room and was just settling himself in when Boy turned his attention to him. He wore a funny looking tweed jacket with puffed out shoulders and a white dress shirt underneath. His trousers were beige slacks like Uncle Vernon would sometimes wear when he went golfing and his shoes were brown and shiny and very fancy.

"Now why don't you tell me why you've brought the young lad here?"

"We missed him," Marko said his hands reaching up around Boy to grab the coke. He clutched it closer in alarm. "I'm just gonna open it for ya kid, calm down."

Boy blinked, relaxing his grip somewhat.

"You missed him." The tone was flat, disbelieving and angry all at once. It was a tone he recognized very well from Aunt Petunia. Boy pushed himself closer to Marko trying to disappear into the man's chest.

"He was away from the main party, blocked by a girl," Dwayne frowned watching the interactions between the two on the armchair carefully. Then he turned his darkened gaze to their possible leader. "He was so tiny and quiet and there are never children at those parties. We missed him."

"I see." The man pulled his glasses off, cleaning them meticulously. He put them back on his nose and looked at Boy curiously. Marko finally twisted the cap and the long drawn out hiss of a newly opened pop rang through the air. "Why don't you come here child. Let me have a look at you."

Boy stared. He would really rather not… but he didn't want to cause any trouble or cause himself any pain by being stupid. He slowly slid forward off of Marko's lap, leaving the coke with the smallest vampire with a promise from him to guard it from Paul.

"I've been rude haven't I," he queried as boy approached meekly. "My name is Max. May I have yours?"

Boy hesitated. He gulped and looked around the room seeing David from the corner of his eye. From here he could see the sink of the kitchen and the hallway leading into the dining room. He looked back at Max and flinched, his hands balling into his dirty shirt.

"Boy," he whispered roughly, the lump in his throat growing at the darkening in the older man's eyes.

"Now that is not a proper name. What do your parents call you?"

Boy blinked back tears and the urge to run back to the boys was growing stronger. "M-My Aunt and Uncle call m-me Boy… o-or Freak…" His voice trailed off to nearly inaudible at the end.

Max sucked in a slow deep breath and Boy could swear he could hear growling around him.

"And where are they now, child?"

"E-england," he squeaked, his voice pitching it like a question. He wasn't quite sure. They could still be in America or they could have gone back.

Before anything else happened, Boy hear the telltale sound of claws scraping on tile. His body seized, muscled locking down tight at the sight of a great white dog coming in with splotches of dirty brown on its muzzle.

"Oh, Thorn. Finished your meal have you? Child this is-"

The dog shifted closer on his paws threateningly and Boy scrambled away all of his movement suddenly coming back in an instant. He was down the hallway in an instant his blind panic driving him to the only escape route his brain could think of. The boys weren't safe enough for him to turn to and he most certainly wasn't going to trust Max. The surprised shouts and the soft thudding of paws on the hallway carpet had him speeding up. There was only one open door and he skidded inside slamming the door shut as quickly as possible and leaning against it with all his might.

The noises outside the door made little sense to him; they might have been voices? But the dog's growling was unmistakable. So too was the clawing at the door that almost caved it in. He was not gonna get get bit like the Ripper Incident.

"No!"

A loud bang and a flash of light and then everything was quiet except for Boy's panicked wheezing breaths. His knees wobbled unable to support his weight. He didn't even feel it when he hit the ground.

* * *

"What the fuck was that," Paul whispered from the end of the hallway staring at the mauled door. Thorn was passed out against the wall opposite it, having been knocked out by whatever force that had been.

"That my dear childe, was a miracle." Max's smile was slightly manic he knew but he couldn't help it. To run into a wizarding child was extremely rare. To run into one with no supervision was nigh impossible. To run into one with no support and being abused was a gift to his coven.

"Max," Dwayne called quietly. He could sense the anxiety just rolling off of his second eldest. He always did have a soft spot for children considering how many younger siblings he'd had when he was still alive.

"Go check on him Dwayne and take him back to the living room. Make sure he's comfortable." He bent down gathering Thorn in his arms so he could take the hellhound out back and chastise him. Hunting was in their nature so the child running hadn't helped matters but it had lead him to learning about the magic so he supposed he'd just give a lecture instead of a punishment.

David was still sitting exactly where'd he'd left him, sprawled on the couch with both arms resting above him. Marko was leaning forward in the armchair, coke dangling from his nimble fingers.

 _You boys will not ruin this for me. Especially you David._ He projected to all of them.

David bared his teeth but Marko and Paul, who had ambled after him, blinked in surprise.

 _You're actually thinking of turning him? He's just a kid. Like a really young kid_ , Marko muttered playing with the soda cap.

"Oh he's more than just that," he chuckled merrily before going out the front door and dumping the still unconscious hound on the porch. There was no telling how long he'd be out so the lecture would have to be dealt with later. By the time he came back in all the boys were situated again. This time Dwayne held the boy, the messy black hair resting in the biker's lap and his painfully thin legs on top of Paul's, who was playing with the torn shorts that were obviously much too big for him.

 _So what is he?_ David sneered leaning his head back, eyes scanning Max.

"A wizard. Or he will be one. Right now he is only a magical child with no training."

Paul stared with wide eyes, pupils dilating slightly, the only effect that showed he was still riding some kind of high even if it was the tail end of it. Marko set the coke on the small side table in between the armchair and couch and leaned back chewing on his thumbnail, elbow leaning heavily on the armrest. "So you're saying he's gonna turn into some wand waving broom flying wizard."

"That is correct."

All of them voiced their disbelief, their mental voices clamoring over each other, except for Dwayne who was focused on running his fingers through the black hair working out the mattes and knots.

 _That's why you want him_ , his voice rang strong after the others had quieted.

"Exactly. You know that vampires are not the only creature in the world so why can wizards not exist?"

"And yet we've never seen any-"

David was more tense now, arms coming off the couch to clasp in front of him, elbows on his knees.

"Because they don't want to be found. They are also extremely protective of their children and live in completely isolated communities unaccessible to anyone without magic. Once you get to be as old as I am you will experience more of their world. They are good at keeping it all tucked away from the outside but they do slip up from time to time. As a 'magical being' we do also have some rights in their world though we aren't entirely looked well upon. It has considerably improved in the last few centuries at least."

"So, uh, what's the little man have to do with that stuff, though?"

Paul had stopped picking at the shorts and was now working on tying and untying the raggedy shoe laces. Max sighed. He was going to have to dry clean his couches again.

"Magic and vampire blood have never mixed. Either the magic wins and completely destroys the host or the blood wins and the magic is destroyed. But these were all adults that already have their magic set in stone. My theory is that if you give a child the blood-"

Dwayne's resounding howl of fury in their minds made them all wince.

 _YOU WANT TO GIVE HIM BLOOD FOR AN EXPERIMENT THAT MAY KILL HIM?_

Max let out an even deeper sigh. His children were always so unruly.

"I highly doubt that he would die. If anything the blood would be too strong and wipe out his magic. Then there is no loss either way." It was actually be a huge loss for the sake of science but he didn't need his children pulling even bigger rebellious acts than they did now. It got tiring having to wrangle them all in when they got restless. "I don't hurt children if I can help it. And if this does succeed and he keeps his magic do you understand what it would do for our coven? The power boost alone would have us standing atop the other packs in the area."

It was better he got them to agree then force them into it. Then it would seem like they had the option to keep the boy and they wouldn't chafe so much at his control.

"I mean I think it would be cool to have a little brother that can keep up with me," Paul chimed in.

"I don't know if he'd be able to keep up with you, man, he's sort of tiny and slow," Marko teased half-serious and half-joking.

Dwayne only clenched his jaw knowing that it wasn't really a choice. David grunted, tossing his head back to stare at the ceiling for a moment before he dropped it again, his eyes glaring at the floor.

 _I'm not taking care of the brat_ _,_ he growled.

 _I will_ , Dwayne hissed.

"Paul and I can pitch in."

"And I think this would be the perfect opportunity for Star." All of them groaned. "Now boys she is your sister-"

"Yeah by fucking accident," Paul whined.

"She drank the blood-"

Marko snorted, "And it's been almost a week since then."

"-and is a part of the family just like all of you. You will respect my decision. You boys need a bit of a gentler touch to keep you in line anyway."

"Ha," David crowed rocking to his feet, "That bitch can't keep herself in line let alone us. She literally crawled into our home and stole the blood wine during the day and now we're fucking stuck with her because you're too lazy to take responsibility! She won't feed and all she does is whine about how her life is a tragedy!"

Max's eyes darkened, his temper wearing thin. "Then perhaps this should teach you some caution, David. You'd think you'd learn after a century of living that we are _vulnerable_ during the day-"

A small moan interrupted whatever he was about to say and every pair of eyes turned to look at the stirring boy on the couch. He was slow to come to wakefulness, his green eyes squinting- he more than likely needed glasses with all the squinting he had been doing, the blood should fix that right up- up at Dwayne. Then he froze again.

"There's no need to worry, my lad. Thorn is outside and he won't harm you. Now I have a proposition for you and the boys have agreed," he said, his anger replaced by excitement. "You know we are vampires, we've seen it in your mind but we like you child. I want to extend the offer for you to join the family."

It was quiet for a long while. Dwayne had not once stopped running his fingers through the black mane and the green-eyed child seemed to take comfort in it before finally croaking, "Family?"

"That's right. You're special child. We like special."

"Yea! We'll get to big your big brothers," Paul cheered squeezing the boys toes through his shoes. It made him wriggle but Max couldn't tell if it was in delight or discomfort.

"Brothers?" His vowels were drawn out in a british accent. It had been quite a while since he'd heard an authentic one. He hoped the boy would hold onto to it as he grew older. Americans usually loved the sound of british accents.

"That's right," Dwayne's voice was solemn and low. "That means we'll look out for you and protect you."

"But vampires don't age…"

It was hard to read the minds of magicals, their magic acting as a natural barrier, but children were easier it seemed and this boy had quite the keen and clever thought processes. "Of course they don't. But you'll only be half for a while. Wouldn't want you to be a child forever now would we? No, that would never do."

"But… I'm a freak…"

Oh, if only he knew who his relatives where at. They'd have been dead in a second. Family should never abuse one another.

"Child, dear child, magic should be cherished not oppressed. What you have is a gift and your relatives will rue the day they hurt you for it," Max snarled.

He was staring with those bright green eyes, tears building and slowly carving paths down his alabaster cheeks. If not for the malnutrition and dirt he'd be an absolutely beautiful little boy too.

"M-ma-mag- that's a bad word," he whispered.

Max snorted and his children looked at him incredulously. So sue him it was slightly out of character but those relatives of his were beyond ridiculous.

"I'm assuming that's what your Aunt and Uncle told you." The boy nodded. "Not everything an adult says is the truth and you'll come to learn that. For now, anything they told you I want you to disregard. Choose what you want to do because you want."

"W-what does dis-re-gaarrd mean?"

Max smiled. It was the first question he'd been asked. Slight progress.

"It means ignore it. Do not believe it."

"Oh," he glanced at the boys watching him with waiting eyes before he turned back to Max. "I want a family."

Max's smile turned shark-like.

Pushing him to drink directly from his wrist would probably be too much for a child so instead Max poured his blood in a glass cup filling it to the brim before bringing it to the boy who was now sitting up between his two soon to be older brothers. The child carefully took the glass between his two tiny hands -how old was he again? Max didn't really think to ask as lost as he was in his eagerness- and staring at it in trepidation. The furrow between his brows was absolutely adorable and Max had to resist the urge to squeeze the life out of the boy in a hug. He hadn't been able to do that to any of his children in a very very long time.

The glass was finished in just under a minute, the addictive quality of the blood urging the little one to keep drinking until it was finished. The head vampire was surprised the boy hadn't tilted the whole thing back to get as much as he could as quickly as possible. It may have been a behavioral trait beaten into him but restraint was always a good thing. Maybe his elder boys would learn something from their younger sibling.

Dwayne ran his hand through the little one's hair as he leaned down to whisper, "Welcome to the family, little brother."

* * *

 **AN:** I don't know why I do this to myself. But good news for you readers: The first part of this story is almost complete. I actually wrote most of it out first before posting. That's not like me at all! But there ya go...

Tell me what ya think?


	2. Chapter 2

**The Middle**

"Dwayne!"

Daniel giggled as he ran through the throngs of people on the boardwalk to catch his older brother. It had been two weeks since he had been adopted into his new family and gifted with his name and his life had never been better. His vision had improved beyond anything he had ever imagined and he could even see in the dark. He got to eat whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, though he was supposed to drink a glass of blood every other night. He got to enjoy burgers and pizza and chinese food! The noodles were his absolute favorite and one of the few things he'd found he'd enjoyed with David. David still didn't like him, Daniel thought, but he never hit him and he never said mean things. Well he said mean things but he didn't mean them like the Dursley's did.

Then there was Marko who was always there with his pigeons for Daniel to pet and then bringing his favorite foods. If he wanted the elders time all he had to do was ask and if he wasn't busy running an errand then he was willing to play with him. A lot of the time it was chase or tag if Paul was up for playing too. Paul was funny. Sometimes he would be super fun and able to keep up with Daniel's energy and others he would lounge on the couch staring off into to space while making weird noises from time to time. Star and Dwayne always made him stay away from him when he was lounging and breathing that funky smoke out of his nose and mouth.

Daniel wasn't sure how to feel about Star even after all of this time. She was nice just like Miss Amy had been but she didn't like his brothers. In fact, she had yelled and cried at them when they first brought Daniel home which had made him really uncomfortable. He'd hidden with Dwayne for three whole nights and days before David finally forced him to meet her face to face since he and Dwayne couldn't keep sleeping on the cold hard floor when there was a 'perfectly functional couch that he could use'. She'd been a lot nicer then, sitting down and talking to him and running her fingers through his hair and asking questions about his family. Daniel didn't think she liked his responses much but he didn't lie and he didn't get in trouble or anything so he was okay with that.

The main thing he didn't like about Star -other than her trying to keep him away from his brothers- was that she would leave him alone on the boardwalk a lot. Multiple times he had found his way to Max's store, hanging out there for a few hours and getting free lollipops. He got along with Thorn much better now, being able to actually pat the white fur on top of his head, instead of running in terror he had before.

Most times he would find one of the boys, just like tonight.

Dwayne was leaning up against his motorcycle and boy did Daniel love riding the bikes. They weren't as awesome as flying but they came close. He was the closest to the native american out of all of the guys. Dwayne always took his time to teach Daniel his letters and how to read and new words and sometimes if the vampire was in the mood he would read stories from his special book collection. Daniel always felt really special when that happened since he never let anyone near the books.

* * *

Dwayne turned his attention to the fast approaching child with a small quirk of his lips. The vampire snatched the giggling child off the ground, setting him on his hip.

"Where's Star?"

"She got lost in the crowd."

He clenched his teeth in annoyance. Star had ditched the boy again. If that girl did it one more time he was taking the problem to Max for him to dole out a punishment.

"That so? Well the boys'll be back in a bit."

"Okay!"

Dwayne lost himself in thought as he teasingly messed with the child on his hip. He had the strongest feeling that some things were going to change in the future and he wasn't sure if that was good or bad. The last change he'd sensed had been little Daniel coming into their lives which Dwayne considered a very good thing. Vampires felt things very differently from humans but he was sure… his entire heart belonged to this mess of an abused orphan that was flourishing under their care. Of course there was loyalty to his coven brother's and he did care for them but this intense burning was something he hadn't felt since before his turning. He would cherish these younger years that he would have with him before he had his first kill.

"Hey hey! There's the little man!"

"Danieeeel," Paul slurred happily his free hand shoving Marko hard enough to almost knock the curly haired boy into David's bike. Marko swerved around it at the last moment before turning around and snatching the blunt from between the other's lips. He dropped it and snubbed it under his boot as quickly as possible. Paul yelped indignantly and started a mini wrestling match while Daniel watched on clapping his hands and cheering for both of them.

"Break it up boys. Wouldn't want to look like the children you actually are."

Both of them paused. They glanced at each other, then at David who scowled.

"Don't even think about it."

They pounced.

Dwayne couldn't help but smile at the picture they made; a human dogpile of young adults off the edge of the boardwalk. Thankfully for David there weren't too many people paying attention when he tossed them both away and dusted his coat off as he stood up. He scowled at them but otherwise let them have their harmless fun as he sauntered to his bike. Daniel was still giggling like a mad man. It made Dwayne smile softly.

Marko and Paul steadied themselves making their way to their own bikes, throwing jeering calls to David across their mind link. David would murder them if they did it too much out in public.

"When we get back boys you better get ready for a beating," David sneered tossing a playful glare over his shoulder at them. He looked to Dwayne his face twisting into a frown. _Again?_

Dwayne an eyebrow. _Is that even a question?_

All three Lost boys let out ugly snorts.

"So we're waiting again then," Marko questioned aloud for Daniel's benefit.

"Seems like," Dwayne agreed shifting his passenger to the back of his bike and throwing his leg over.

"Shouldn't be too long," Paul snickered. "I'm pretty sure I saw her earlier with a boy following her around from the concert."

Dwayne shot Paul a look. The other had seen Star without Daniel and not said anything?

Paul saw and quickly tossed his hands up in surrender. "He was still with her then, man. I woulda said something otherwise!"

"Oh! I saw him too! He kept staring at Star and then she sent me away when he started following her," Daniel chimed.

Okay maybe it wasn't quite as bad tonight but he still hated when she left him on his own. She could have dropped him with one of the boys instead of sending him off on his own. Except she wasn't very fond of the boys and often tried to keep the wizarding halfling away from them. Dwayne did not appreciate that.

"Ah there's our wandering gypsy," David growled his voice coming out a little scratchy in his genuine unfiltered agitation.

Star was slowly making her way over shoulders hunched and eyes downcast as always. It always annoyed him how defeated and submissive she looked all the time, like prey. It made his fangs itch and his fingers cramp. He'd already eaten, which dampened the feeling significantly, but it was still unpleasant.

"Star," David called jeeringly. "Come on over."

Star's steps faltered and her breath hitched as she glanced up and caught sight of Daniel already sitting on Dwayne's bike.

"Don't be shy now. It's about time to go home."

The half-vampire reluctantly settled behind David, her hands loosely wrapped around his middle.

"Dwayne! That's the boy."

Daniel's hand was pointing into the crowd directly at a blue eyed teen with strong handsome features. Dwayne could admit a good looking guy when he saw one and this boy definitely had full marks, especially with how bright his baby blues were. Too bad he was more than likely going to be their food.

 _Or Star's_ , David smirked, staring the boy down before revving his engine and peeling down the stairs to the beach. _Star needs to be punished anyway. Why not make this lover boy of her's her first kill?_

 _Ha! She does have quite the lust for him, huh?_ Marko hooted, popping a wheelie on the sand as they all roared down the beach.

 _Good punishment._

 _I agree with Dwayne!_ _Paul howled popping an even longer wheelie just to piss Marko off._

* * *

David sneered at the tears in Star's eyes. Really she was one of the most pathetic women he'd ever had the misfortune to meet. The only thing they were lucky (coughunluckycough) enough not to have to deal with was her being suicidal. Sure she had some vague thoughts but the girl was so scared to die that it would never truly cross her mind to go through with the act. He sort of wished she would, even if Max would give them shit about it, because then they wouldn't have to deal with her moping and little rebellious acts. Even Daniel could only put up with so much and that kid had enough tolerance to put up with Paul and Marko, and even himself though he'd never admit that where his brothers could hear, on their bad days.

"You want me to what," she croaked, her eyes surprisingly dry.

He slowly leaned forward. "I'm not going to repeat myself Star. But I will give you a warning, you kill him tonight and feed or you won't like the fucking consequences," he whispered into her ear, his gloved finger caressing her cheek. He pulled back abruptly and gave her a fanged grin, malice on full display. She choked on a sob and David was satisfied enough to leave her be.

On his way back to the main lobby Daniel ran full tilt into his legs, bouncing off with a barely audible 'oof'.

"David," he cried happily, barely catching himself. "Marko is thinking about bringing noodles cause he says we're celebrating! I asked him what but he said ask you."

"That so," he murmured.

Really the kid wasn't all that bad to have around. His childish energy was not too overpowering like most his age, probably due to past abuse, but he was still innocent and playful enough that he got along with all of the brothers. Mostly. David liked him, of course, but he wasn't that great with children and still couldn't believe that Max had blooded one so young. They were all surprised when he told them he was 'd been expecting much younger due to his size but David figured it was due to malnutrition.

"Star is gonna finish initiation later. She'll be a full member of the pack come tonight."

His green eyes dimmed just a little and something pleased curled in the vampire's chest.

"Oh. Is she still gonna be sad after she joins?"

David almost snorted though he was sure his brothers could hear it mentally a ways over. Star was either going to fail and die by their hands or get foisted off onto Max OR she was finally going to settle into the life she cursed herself with. The latter option was not very likely.

"She might, runt."

"Oh."

"Oh indeed. Now what's that about noodles?"

"Marko's gonna bring some but I don't know when," Daniel said cheering right back up.

"Well runt let's go find out."

The grin on the kid's face could almost be called shit-eating.

* * *

Marko chewed his glove a little harder in agitation. Really? They were supposed to bring more people into the pack? The last time Max had one of his little harebrained schemes about family they almost got roasted in the sun. Then they'd had to hightail it to the west coast where they'd settled down in Santa Carla. Yeah, none of them were too happy about that and, man, could his entire coven hold a grudge. Max was still suffering from all their spiteful pranks and snubbing.

The only good thing to come from that entire debacle was Paul.

"Are you fucking serious right now? The last time almost got us killed," David growled pacing and scuffing his dirty boots into the carpet.

"And we learned from that didn't we, boys? This time will go much smoother. Lucy has two sons and we will turn them first-"

"This is stupid."

Dwayne stood leaning against the front door his dark gaze almost smoldering a hole in their Sire's head.

"Regardless of what you boys think it will be done do you understand?"

The compulsion fell over him like a blanket and Marko had to try very hard not to let his… colorful choice of words past his mental shield. Being only 30 years into his undead life certainly did not help with his control.

Paul woke from his half-doze on the couch with a snort shaking his head as if to throw the compulsion off.

"What happened," he slurred questioningly.

"Looks like our family is about to get bigger."

If David's words were acid Marko was sure the entire house would have melted.

They were all excused after being given the names of the sons and the boys settled on their bikes quietly. The air was charged with contempt and he was too subdued to start any of his normal shenanigans. Paul was too wasted from one of his special drug cocktails to much more than follow the group. It was an abnormally solemn drive to the bluff where they picked up Daniel who seemed to read the mood rather well and kept quiet for the remaining drive to the pier. M

Marko threw the kid a wink and a finger waggle to pull him away from the thoughts of his relatives that the gloomy mood brought. Those bastards would scream if he ever got his claws into them. Maybe he could bag em and feed them to his pigeons with Daniel's help.

It was only as they pulled into their normal spots, faces adjusted to look normal, that a terrible thought hit Marko.

 _How are we even supposed to find these kids? Scout and hunt?_

Dwayne tsked but nodded and David rolled his eyes.

 _If we're lucky we can catch them at their house after Max pulls their address from his records._

 _Heeeeyyyy, there's the lady of the hoouuuuur and guess who hassn't eeaatenn._

 _Paul shut up. You're so high it's annoying. Marko uttered, a bit of levity coming back into his mood. Paul was always good for that._

 _Ruuuuude._

 _He's right though. There's Star and she hasn't eaten. Looks to me like she wants to go for a ride._

True to Paul and Dwayne's words, a ways down the boardwalk lover boy and gypsy bitch were standing by an old orange Honda XL 250 S.

 _Let's go see what our resident halfie is up to!_

Marko was giddy. Star didn't look at all ready to eat-unless it was dick -really her lustful thoughts were so loud- just chatting and smiling away with a charm they hadn't seen her use before. It was a good charm to have as a vampire but seeing as the bitch refused their gift… well the emotional display was slightly sickening to watch.

 _You're one to talk about emotional display, Marko, you cry when your pigeons get hurt._

 _Shut up David!_

The last time Daniel had cried with him at least. Even though the little boy became watery eyed and absolutely refused to let his tears fall -the Dursley's days were numbered- it was the thought that counted. He smirked at the kid sitting behind Dwayne and got a small smile in return. He could almost picture the cute flush the child would get if he knew the incident Marko was thinking about.

They revved their engines loudly, grins coming to their faces, bad mood dissipating at the thought of tormenting Star -and maybe the adorable face of their halfie kid. Daniel whooped which got a small 'woohoo' from Paul and Marko had to join in as they swerved through the throngs of people. The look on both of their faces were absolutely priceless and if he was into scrapbooking he would have mourned the thought of missing the shot. Good thing he was a vampire that could pick and choose which memories to remember more clearly.

"Where you going, Star?"

Her jaw clenched and Marko didn't even try to hide hide his smirk as chewed on his gloved thumb.

"For a ride," she responded petulantly.

"With him?"

Paul snorted so hard that Dwayne had to stop Daniel from shifting off the bike to make sure the other was okay. He glanced at them, throwing a mocking mental barb at his blonde brother that went right over his head with how high he still was.

"Yeah," her voice wasn't as sure and she jumped at David's revved engine.

* * *

Daniel stared at Star and the boy that had followed her around yesterday. She was supposed to drink him to finally be a full vampire and join the Lost Boys, though she had never wanted to before. He didn't see why she wouldn't want to. Being accepted, being loved, having a family. That's what they had, that's what Daniel wanted, what had been offered to him. Of course he had accepted. He had a place where he could be freaky without anyone caring, except he wasn't supposed to show Star any of the m-mag-ic he'd been working hard on

Which was disappointing but he understood. She wasn't a full vampire yet so she might reject him which he didn't think he'd take very well. He couldn't wait for her to drink and stop being so sad. He could even use some of his glowing lights that he'd created to cheer her up. They certainly made Max very happy and all the boys, especially Dwayne, had praised him for it. The little lights glowed a lot brighter after that.

"I'm David," the leader said, introducing himself. "This is Paul, Dwayne, Marko."

"Hi. I'm Daniel," he chirps having been skipped.

It's okay. David still doesn't like him as much as the others. He was certain when he finally turned the David would be much happier. If they were introducing themselves then this boy was probably not going to be food.

It was Star who introduced the silent man, "This is Michael."

He saw Dwayne and Marko look at each other briefly before turning back to conversation. Michael had ignored David, instead turning to Star and asking, "We still going?"

"Honda 250, huh?"

Daniel was pretty sure he was talking about Michael's bike but he couldn't be sure. He'd have to ask Dwayne later.

"That's right," Michael said finally talking to the eldest vampire.

"C'mon Star. Climb on."

It wasn't a request. It was one of David's orders that didn't really sound like an order. He'd gotten two of those before. The first one he hadn't really understood it to be an order until Dwayne had told him David had expected him to do it. He had. Daniel was always good about doing what the boys asked of him. But at least now he knew what that tone of voice sounded like when he got future orders like that. It was easier to avoid possible punishment that way.

"Star," Michael questioned looking a bit hurt.

"Know where Hudson's bluff is? Overlooking the point," David asked after Star had her arms wrapped around her waist.

Marko and Paul shoved at each other, Paul almost falling over, before Dwayne settled them with the Look. It was a look that said 'Don't make me come over there'. They quieted quickly, though they had the biggest grins on their faces.

Michael nodded, looking over the rest of them with his eyebrows turning down and a frown on his face. "I can't beat your bike."

"You don't have to beat me, Michael. You just have to keep up."

"We're going for a ride," Dwayne grinned, revving his engine.

Then they were off, down the stairs and in the sand in just a few seconds. Daniel hollered as they pulled up to David, never passing him because he was the leader, close enough for Daniel to see that Star was looking back at Michael. The half-vampire glanced back too. He was doing really good for a normal person but he looked slightly worried. Daniel turned back around and just enjoyed the wind rushing past him to roar in his ears.

All too soon they were stopping and the little boy could pick up the sound of crunching gravel and a choked off yell. He peeked around Dwayne's big back to watch Michael pull himself off the floor and punch David right in jaw. Daniel gasps, his hands tightening in the leather jacket he was leaning into. He was expecting David to get mad and yell and growl like Uncle Vernon used to do but instead he smiled, blood dripping down his split lip. For some reason this made him even more nervous. The smile looked more like when they hunted prey. Daniel got to watch only three times before and it was fascinating.

"Just you," Michael screamed as he shook off Paul and Marko. "Just you!"

"How far are you willing to go, Michael?"

Dwayne got off his bike, blocking Daniel's view, and turned around to pull him off as well. "C'mon."

The magical child jumped to follow the longer legs of his big brother as the rest of the pack moved towards the unsteady stairs and into the lobby of their sunken hotel. He'd been amazed the first time he was carried in and saw the giant fountain and the chandelier that rested on it. The multiple colorful sheets and blankets that were draped around the place gave it color while the flickering fires in the trash bins -that he'd later been informed were called oil drums from Marko- threw flickering light that livened up the place. There was a wheelchair that David had immediately sat in and two couches, one in front of the fountain, the other off to the side. There was a bed hidden in an alcove, that he almost missed, draped in more colorful fabrics and scarves. It felt awkward as if he wasn't supposed to be there. Then he'd been set on the couch and he felt like he finally found a home with his new brothers surrounding him.

Even now he still had a small feeling of amazement as he wandered to the couch further from the fountain and plopped down next to Dwayne. He could hear David give the same speech to Michael that he'd given Daniel. Was Michael actually getting a chance to join the pack? Even after hitting David like that?

Paul spoke up about cool things and Star's voice was barely audible. Then Dwayne pulled out a small Lord of the Rings book from under the couch cushion and Daniel lost interest in what the others were doing.

"Are you gonna read me more?"

Dwayne's mouth twitched. "Maybe a little later. I'm going to trust you to watch my book again when we go out later."

Daniel nodded eagerly. It wasn't fun when he was left here by himself, even sometimes with Star when she was in a really sad mood, but Dwayne would leave him this book to watch over and try to read himself. He was getting much better with his letters and numbers. Not enough to really understand the book, he had to ask a lot of questions, but he still felt warmth in his chest whenever he tried and got praised for it. This was the only book Dwayne let him touch, the others he kept safely hidden away. He rarely brought those out to read to him.

"Good. Star is gonna stay here so she might read to you but I trust you to make sure she keeps my book safe."

"I will!"

Then Dwyane turned his attention back to the other boys. David was sitting in his wheelchair like always with Michael sat on the couch across from him, Paul was lounging on the edge of the fountain, Star was in a small alcove with a shawl wrapped tightly around her shoulders, and Marko was nowhere to be seen

"He's grabbing food," the native american murmured in his ear.

"So where are you guys from," he could hear Michael asking.

"We're from here," David responded easily.

"I mean where do you live?"

"Right here," Dwayne rumbled slinging an arm over the back of the couch behind Daniel's head.

"You live here? Your folks let you?"

"Is he talking parents," Paul giggled head tipping side to side.

"What are those?"

Michael stared at Dwayne in disbelief which made Daniel giggle and the rest of the boys laugh. Michael still had parents. Could he still be invited to the group then?

"We do what we want, Michael. We have complete freedom. Nobody knows about this place, nobody but _us_."

Which wasn't completely true as Max had rules for them to follow, though they were really light. He wasn't supposed to talk about Max though.

"Freedom Michael," David continued, leaning forward. "No parents. Hell, we're free as birds!"

Marko arrived then, clattering down the stone steps with cartons in his hands. It was chinese!

Paul jumped up to help distribute, coming over and passing a carton to Daniel and Dwayne. The blonde plopped down on the stone ledge in front of the couch and opened his box, swallowing the food faster than Daniel ever could. He was a lot slower, focused on being careful, and making sure the noodles went in his mouth and not on the floor like Paul's usually did. He still caught the wink Marko sent in his direction and Daniel gave a small grin and thumbs up before focusing on his food and not the conversations going on. He would normally share his noodle experiences with David but the man was busy with Michael. He probably didn't want to be bugged.

About halfway through his box, his brothers started laughing and Star said something scoldingly. He glanced up curiously catching David's eye. They were bright and sparkling and the leader smirked at him. Daniel smiled back and turned back to his food, barely catching a muttered, "They're worms," from Michael.

It was Michael's startled shout followed by Star's stern, "That's enough," that has him glancing back up again. He's almost finished with his noodles by now but whatever is happening is loud and has all the boys jeering. It sounds a little mean, like when Dudley's gang of tiny friends would mock him for not going to school when they would come over to hang out at the Dursley's house.

"It's all in good spirit Daniel. Nothing truly mean," Dwayne reassured, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. They were crinkled from amusement and the child relaxed. "Hm. I think Michael's initiation is about to start, though. Why don't you take my book and go with Star for now."

He glanced sadly at the few noodles still left in his carton. Daniel didn't like wasting food.

"You can eat it as soon as we're gone. For now, go on."

He stood at the native american's prodding, carefully setting his carton on the couch and snatching up the large book. He made his way carefully past Paul and Marko and David and held out his hand to clutch at Star's waiting one. She looked down at him with a sad smile before glancing back at Michael who was lost in the first taste of his Sire's blood.

"Dude." Paul stared at the way his hand wavered in and out of view, trailing multiple after images behind it as the stone walls behind it started bleeding green and twisting in small whirlpools. This new concoction wasn't high on the happy scale but it definitely had hella hallucinatory effects. "This is so awesome."

He turned his head, everything blurring for a moment, to regard the little dude that had just plopped next to him.

"I heard you were going to visit Michael tonight." Daniel's voice literally rang like a chime of a bell with a slightly deeper distortion under it. Auditory hallucinations too then.

Paul grinned, or at least he thought he did. He could feel the skin around his mouth moving but that was about it. He had no idea what his face actually looked like.

"Yup." His own voice came out gargled and distant. Dude. So cool. "Gonna get to see his house and meet his little brother."

Daniel gasped his green eyes going wider than should have been possible. Actually they were filling up his entire face. Whoah.

"Another brother?"

"Yea," he giggled. Enthused by the chime like quality and joy in the little boy's voice. Aw man they were so lucky with this kid. Always polite. Always playing. Always… where was he going with this?

"That's so cool! Is he joining tonight?"

"Uh." He had to think about that one. What had David said? Michael first or something. Yea that was right. Right? "Nah, little maaaan. Gotta inishi-in-itiate Michael firssst."

Oh man. The happy effect was slowly rising. If he could dil-dilate? No… make it less? Yes. It would get hella cash for the boys.

"Paul are you okay?"

Those green green grass eyes were staring as the voice faded in and out.

"Oh yeah," he groaned. He could do the money stuff later. Crest the high first then… then he'd do stuff. Important stuff.

* * *

Michael groaned rubbing his messy hair and trying to stop the pounding in his head. Star was laying next to him fast asleep. That night had been... Fucking fantastic actually. He'd lost himself in the girl of his dreams forgetting for just a little bit about the shit show David had lured him into. Ugh, how stupid he'd been wanting to fit in with these boys.

He'd always been easily malleable under peer pressure when it came to smoking and hanging out but he normally had a better sense for when shit was about to hit the fan. His danger senses had been pretty quiet and the guys had seemed so cool, so in control, that he'd given in. Star was just the cherry on top. Get the girl and get an invite into the coolest group? Hell yea.

So, of course, it had to have consequences. He almost wished they were still in Phoenix even if his asshole of a father would have been a lot closer.

There was shuffling behind him and he turned, expecting one of the boys to be waiting for him. Instead it was just the little boy… Danny or something that had been on the back of Dwayne's bike. He was sleeping on the fancy long ottoman next to the bed. How in the world had Michael missed that?

He could feel his face flushing. Had the kid been there the entire time?

The boy snuffled shoving his face further into the throw pillow before settling.

He was a pretty cute kid. Alabaster skin, thin cheeks, a mess of black hair and doe green eyes. Which made it all the more irritating that this boy was hanging out with Vampires. Had they kidnapped him? Did they deal in kids? But what about the not aging? Were they planning to keep him a kid forever?

Ugh, his head hurt and he could feel the tiredness weigh on his limbs like leaden shackles but he needed to go home. He needed to get back to Mom and Sam before he was caught unawares and fell back into the exhaustion tugging at his mind.

He slipped out of the bed, trying not to disturb Star. She was as dead as a log… probably not the best analogy but fuck he was tired. He winced as he stubbed his toe against a rock, almost tripping and landing on the sleeping child. He barely caught himself. He sighed softly and started looking for his clothes.

"Your clothes are folded on the couch," came the sleepy mumble.

It startled the hell out of him.

There were half-lidded green eyes glaring at him from a bush of black hair. Shit he must have been louder than he thought if he woke the kid. He glanced at Star. Nope still passed out.

"Your a pretty light sleeper, huh?"

A small grunt was his answer.

"Right, uh, couch?"

Another small grunt.

"Hey kid. Why are you with them? The Lost Boys?"

"Cause they're my brothers," he said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

Right. That answered nothing. He probably wasn't going to get anything better out him right now either. He wandered over to the couch, catching sight of his meticulously folded clothes sitting on the armrest. Michael closed his eyes and sucked in a deep, amazed at how much more his nose could pick up; the sharp tang of the ocean, the musty smell of the fabrics, the heady scent of sex still clinging to him and the bed's lone occupant, the tantalizing scent of old blood.

Wait no. Bad thoughts.

He groaned, opening his eyes, and started tugging on his clothes. He needed to get out of here. This place was gonna start messing with his head. It already felt comfortable and welcoming like home. This was _not_ his home. Fucking David.

* * *

Star pulled the shawl tighter over her shoulders to ward off the chill that didn't even affect her anymore. Explaining things to Michael hadn't gone as well as she could have hoped. What exactly was she expecting anyways?

Her own Jonathan Harker come along to swoop her away from the big bad vampires?

Her stomach growled in pain and she clenched her teeth. She was used to it by now but it didn't make it any easier to bear. It was getting a lot worse lately too. She'd done really well to resist it in the beginning but it had been three weeks and it was starting to take its toll on her physical and mental health.

She could hear the boys jeering at her, knowing exactly where she went. She ignored them with learned patience. The more she responded the worse they got. It was easier to just be the defeated girl with no one to turn to.

"Star!"

She turned and gave a wobbly smile to Daniel as he bounced up onto the bed.

"Are you okay? You look sad again. I don't like when you're sad."

God how had they even gotten their claws on this beautiful child? Daniel was a radiant beam of sunlight in her depressing fog of thoughts. She knew his backstory, of course, he was a very honest child but she couldn't reconcile the boys rescuing an orphaned child with the image of the hardcore killers that they were.

Star had initially thought they were going to use him as a lure, a logical thought, but he never did anything he didn't want to do. In fact, Daniel was almost spoiled rotten, getting whatever he wanted. Not that he actually asked for much.

"I'm fine."

The little boy huffed, shifting uncertainly. "I wanna help."

She chuckled sadly, "This isn't something you can help with honey."

He stuck his bottom lip out in a pout. It melted her heart and Star sighed running her fingers through her curly hair. It caught on some tangles and she tugged over exaggeratedly.

"Well it looks like I could use some help with this nest I call hair. But my hand seems to be stuck," she cried.

"I'll save you Star," he exclaimed, hopping off the bed over to the beat up wooden chest they used to store their meager belongings. He opened it and reached in pulling out her brush and ran back hopping up behind her. He carefully started at the tips, just like she taught him, working out tangles with gentle but clumsy hands. He was extraordinarily careful not to tug to hard, his own experience with his aunt roughing brushing his hair probably had something to do with it.

It was strange really, how much Daniel remembered. Maybe it was because he was a child? Star could only speculate.

What she did know for sure was that it was getting harder and harder for her to hang onto the thoughts of her parents. They weren't the greatest, not always around due to work and too tired to talk to her when they were home, but least she had them then and they did love her. She hadn't realized how good she had it until she'd run away and mistakenly drank the wine in the cave in desperation to get away from her own mind.

Her hand was carefully pulled from her hair, shaking her from her thoughts.

"Thank you Daniel," she cheered throwing on a fake smile and turning to beam at him. His cheeks flushed pink, bringing more life to his otherwise white skin. "I'll have to return the favor when you're done."

"Yes please!"

Her smile became just a little more real. The hair brushing had become his ritual whenever Star was feeling down. He would brush her hair out and then she would brush his. It was soothing, cathartic. He was such a little angel. She didn't understand how anyone could have abused him.

* * *

 **AN:** So a little more notes on this chapter.

Harry's name is Daniel as it was chosen for him. Daniel was a very popular boy's name in the 80's and Daniel Radcliffe plays Harry Potter so I thought it fit.

This chapter was a little slice of everyone's thoughts and to give them a bit of characterization. It was also to express the relationship between them and Daniel/Harry.

This story is probably only going to last one more chapter (which I'm still working on because I just can't decide how I want some of it to end. Do Lucy and Max survive? Do they both die? Just one or the other? HELP). Then there is the sequel if I ever end up writing it.

Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed! It was more than I was expecting honestly and just taking the time to leave even one word of encouragement brings me life. :)

Tell me what you think?


	3. Chapter 3

**The End**

Daniel could vaguely make out voices getting closer. They were loud and annoying. He groaned bringing his hands up to cover his ears.

"There's one! Let's stake her!"

"Don't you touch her! You stay away from her!"

Daniel's eyes popped open.

 _Danger._

From his position he could see two boys in army themed clothes holding a wooden stake standing over Star. They glanced at each other and ran off.

"Vampires have such rotten tempers!"

"Yeah, come on!"

They ran deeper into the cave, heading towards where he knew his brothers slept.

 _Danger. Danger. Danger._

Michael was standing over Star now, gently shaking her shoulder, whispering her name. She groaned, shifting before mumbling, "Daniel first, please. Please."

"I found a draft!"

A deeper voice responded, "It's an opening all right. Someone give me a boost."

 _DANGER_

Then Michael was looking down on him with bleary blue eyes. He looked really tired and should be asleep right now. His muscled arms came under him, lifting Daniel and blanket with ease. He staggered out of the lobby onto the rickety stairs, adjusting the blanket to cover Daniel's face from the sun. While he appreciated it, Michael was taking him away from his family during the day when there were people trying to kill his brothers.

 _DAVID DANGER DWAYNE DANGER PAUL DANGER MARKO DANGER_

He felt a hum of sleepy curiosity in the back of his mind that wasn't his own. Daniel clenched his eyes shut and focused all he had on his brothers, trying to tug them awake with his mind. They could read minds he knew so he was hoping if he thought hard enough enough they would hear his cries.

 _DANGER WAKE UP DANGER HELP DANGER BROTHERS_

Focused as he was, Daniel did not feel Michael set him down and leave. He only realized the man had been gone when he returned with Star, setting her gently on the seat. He could feel his two half-siblings and for the first time he was mad. He was mad at Michael for betraying the Lost Boys like this and he was mad at Star for letting him. She hadn't said no, she'd just said Daniel first.

 _HELP HELP HELP HELP_

He whimpered, clutching the blankets as the two boys from before came screaming up to the car. They hopped in the front seats and gunned it before breaking abruptly. Daniel was thrown forward onto the floor and he whined trying so very very hard to stay awake. With the sun beating directly down on him with barely a blanket for cover he lost.

 _Brothers help..._

* * *

Sam really wished he was dreaming because goddamn he was in a horror comic come to life. His older brother was a half-vampire, his two new 'friends' were vampire hunters, and he had gone with them and his brother to go hunt them in their own lair. Edgar had staked the littlest one which woke the rest and they tried to flee. Vampires were a lot faster than humans, though, even during the day. Sam had only just gotten his hand into the sun before he felt the grip around his ankle. The Frog brothers had screamed, grabbing him trying to wrestle him out but two more hands gripped onto his waist and Sam was gone. Lost forever in their shit-sucking lair.

He was shoved into the corner of their coffin room in front of the downed vamp, forced to watch him take wheezing breaths while the blonde twisted sister look a like yanked the stake out and offered his wrist to the other. Sam whimpered, clutching his knees closer to his chest, futilely trying to shove his back further into the unyielding stone wall. He wished in that moment that superheroes actually existed, that his brother would come save him, that he wouldn't die painfully.

"Well well boys. Looks like we caught the second brother."

"We don't have the bottle. Michael smashed it." Dark and broody frowned watching the scene with pained eyes. If Sam wasn't sure they were monsters he'd almost say they cared about one another.

"Fucking dick. He's gonna get it for that. I really don't want to deal with that man's shit. We have the kid and we fucking can't turn him? Fuck that," Blondie sneered his eyes flashing orange and fangs dropping.

Sam had to focus really hard not to cry. He didn't like horror comics for a reason. His emotions got the best of him a lot. It wasn't Sam' fault his mother said, he was just a naturally sensitive boy. His dad had never appreciated that. It's one of the reasons his parents got a divorce. He always tried really hard not to think about that too so he didn't place blame on himself.

In a situation like this, being emotionally sensitive was a really bad setback because all he wanted to do was ball himself up and sob the day away. Sam could be strong and courageous sometimes but he knew when he was in a shit situation.

"Fuck not another one," blondie muttered staring him down.

Sam cowed, his muscles locking like a deer in the headlights.

"Fuck you," curly groaned in the process of sitting up with twisted sister's help.

Broody and blondie exchanged a look and Sam just knew they were mind talking. Great now he was going to die. They were thinking of the worst way to maul him open and drain his blood-

Blondie was kneeling in front of him, wrist slit with a claw, shoving the brutalised appendage towards his face.

In the most terrifying tone of voice he'd ever heard, blondie growled, "Drink."

Sam shook his head, eyes wide.

"You don't have a choice kid. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Now drink."

He didn't want to be a shit-sucker… but he really really did not want to die. They were probably gonna use him against Michael and christ what about his Mom?

"If you drink, I swear we won't kill your mother."

Tears bubbled down as his cheeks as he hissed, "Fuck all of you."

But still he complied.

He put his lips to the wound trying to get as little as possible in his mouth but his body had a will of its own. As soon as the blood touched his tongue, colors exploded in his vision, his taste buds almost couldn't handle the rich thick feeling of the vampire's life liquid sliding down his throat. He couldn't stop even if he wanted too. He didn't want to. Suckling like a baby desperate for milk, his hands unwrapped from his knees clutching onto his Sire's arm and pulled as deeply as he could.

"That's enough."

Sam whined trying to pull a few more mouthfuls out before he was yanked back by his hair. His Sire's blue blue eyes were staring at him as he gasped and panted, aching and yearning for more blood.

"Is that normal," someone questioned. He couldn't tell who as his vision started to settle and his hearing stopped roaring.

His Sire tsked. "Yeah. I was the same way. It's straight blood from the vein. Much stronger... Sam."

"Yeah," he breathed. He blinked, trying to focus. Everything was so bright and vivid.

"You see Marko? He's hurt. You wanna help him, don't you?"

He glanced over at the injured vampire who sat propped against the wall, looking a sickly grey as blood sluggishly oozed from the gaping hole in his chest. The scent was so similar to his Sire and yet much different. The cloying scent of blood was almost enough to cover everything else but his nose was strong enough to tell this was a pack member. A pack member he'd almost had a hand in killing. The stake had just barely missed the heart because the vampire had startled before the Frogs had even moved. Sam gulped.

"Yeah." He couldn't stand it when his family was hurting. Even his new family.

"I need you to go out and bring someone back here. Can you do that?"

"That'll help him?"

"That's right Sam."

His mind felt slightly foggy but he knew what he had to do. He just needed to lure someone into the cave. Then Marko could get better. He pushed himself up stumbling only a little as his head swam. His Sire guided him out, further into the salty air until the blonde stopped.

"I can't go any further Sam. You're the only one who can help him now."

Sam stepped out into the sun, wincing as it burned his eyes. How did his Michael ever stand this?

It took a lot longer than he would have liked to find someone. Hudson's Bluff was a little remote unfortunately. But find someone he did. Two someone's.

He ran to the couple having a picnic bleating, "Help! Help!"

They looked startled and something pleased curled in Sam's gut. They looked like prey. They smelled like prey. But family first.

"You've gotta help! My brother got hurt," his eyes started welling with tears. It was easy, he was already emotional. "We- we were messing around in the caves! He fell and I can't get him out!"

A lie had never passed his lips so easily before and they ate it up like candy.

* * *

Daniel curled up in the corner of the room beside the bed and white dresser. He could hear the boys from earlier, The Frog brother's they said, talking in the bathroom. What they were saying he couldn't make out anymore but they sounded excited. Daniel had to try very very hard not to cry. He hadn't been this terrified since his relatives had left him on the boardwalk. These people were trying to hurt his family, his brothers.

Star and Michael were supposed to be Family but they wanted his brothers to be in the forever sleep. They were just like the Dursley's. No.

 _They were worse._

 _Dwayne David Paul Marko_ , he warbled trying again to reach them. He might not be able to hear them but maybe they could find him and take him back.

Star wouldn't let him leave. He'd tried earlier but she'd only pulled him back inside and said it was almost over. He didn't know what she meant. He just wanted to go home and laugh again and brush her hair. He just wanted Michael to be happy and get along with everyone. He just wanted to be back at the cave.

 _Little brother…_

Daniel's head shot. That was Dwayne! In his head!

 _Dwayne_ , he cried. _Dwayne they want to hurt you. They want you to sleep forever! They have stakes and they got holy water in the tub. I want to go home!_

There was no response but he did feel a strong rush of anger that… that wasn't his own.

 _Dwayne?_

No words again but instead he got another feeling. It was _rushed_ and _lost_ and __can't find you_._

Oh did his brother not know where he was? Daniel bit his lip and poked his head over the bed. He tried to remember as much as he could. Then he glanced over at the window. It was close to the bathroom and he didn't to be anywhere near the Frogs but… He was brave! He could do this.

With soft steps, learned entirely from sneaking around the Dursley's, he made it to the cool glass and stared outside. With all his might he tried to send the scene through his mind.

"What are you doing?"

Daniel jumped and stared at the deeper voiced brother with the red headband watching him from the doorway. The other brother looked out from behind him with narrowed eyes. He hadn't heard the open the door.

"Looking."

"At wha-AAAAAHHHH VAMPIRE!"

Daniel's head twisted back in a snap and he was staring at Dwayne's snarling face. He could feel his lips turning up into a grin.

"Get the guns!"

"Get the stakes!"

They both scrambled into the bathroom, the door slamming shut.

"Fucking pricks left a child behind in a dangerous situation," Dwayne grumbled as he yanked the window open and floated in softly. His feet settled softly on the carpet and his clawed hand ran gently across Daniel's scalp. The little boy practically purred, leaning into the touch. "C'mon Little Brother, David is waiting outside so we can start the show."

Daniel went easily into his older brother's arms, comforted and safe again.

The ride was short and suddenly they were in front of David, who had another boy standing next to him. He was a younger boy wearing a bright blue sweater, with a brightly patterned shirt collar peeking through. His face was normal but his orange eyes were glowing brightly and there were reddish brown stains around his mouth. He looked really nervous to be there, standing slightly behind the larger blonde, his hands nervously wringing themselves.

"Daniel good to have you back."

He beamed at the vampire leader.

"This is Sam. He's here to help with his brother."

"Mike, he didn't mean- he doesn't-"

David snorted, "Oh I know kid. One thing that was right in that comic of yours was mind-reading. Max is almost here anyway-"

"Max," Sam exclaimed in surprise. "But there's no way! I-we tested him-"

"And you never invite a vampire into your home silly boy."

All of the boys stiffened except for Daniel. He smiled and wiggled so Dwayne would set him down. Sometimes Daniel couldn't understand why the boys didn't like Max; he was always so nice.

"Hello," the brunette greeted as he dropped to a knee with his arms out. Daniel hopped into them with a giggle. "Ah, there's my boy. Oh Lucy's going to love you. She's very good with kids."

"You said-!"

"That we wouldn't kill your Mom. We aren't. She's gonna live. Forever," David grinned at the extremely unhappy boy that had stepped forward.

"Yea as undead," Sam protested. "That's technically killing her."

"Nu uh," Daniel said quietly. "Vampires don't get the forever sleep. We get to be together forever."

"That's absolutely right, dear child," Max praised.

Daniel beamed again. Tonight was more okay than he thought after the fright he'd been given.

"Now we have quite a few things to do tonight since everything's gone so off track. I would have preferred the chance to woo Lucy a bit more," Sam was starting to look a little green in the face which meant he was not okay, "except you couldn't handle her son."

"Oh shove it you fossil," David snarled. "I had it handled just fine! If it wasn't for fucking Star playing the who-"

Max had shifted to set him on the ground again with both of his hands over Daniel's ears. He could still hear voices but they were muffled so he watched their faces instead. Dwayne was the same as always, glancing at Daniel every now and then to check on him. David was still talking his upper lip raised in, not quite a snarl, disgust. Sam, on the other hand, was not green anymore but a white that he'd only seen on paper, which made the stains on his lips stand out. His eyes were now a pale blue and wide enough that Daniel thought they could fall out.

Max finally removed his hands.

"Well whether you believe so or not I am doing this for the good of the coven. Star and Michael will be given their due punishment. As will you for how you handled the situation. You're lucky you didn't go through with what you were planning tonight. Now why don't you wait here and make sure no one leaves while I go make sure that Lucy gets home safely. We shouldn't be more than 30 minutes."

David scoffed lighting up a fag and sucking in an angry breath. Half of the white stick burnt to ash.

"Now Daniel I need you to stay with Dwayne and keep an eye on your new brother Sam."

"Okay!"

Then Max was gone and Dwayne was asking about what happened when he woke up.

"It was scary! Michael was so mad, he was screaming at the Frogs about," he threw a glance at Sam, "his brother being killed. Star was trying to make him calm down. They both went downstairs after Michael made them promise to keep an eye on me. They didn't do it very well. They stayed in the bathroom the whole time talking about what they were going to do when you got here. I didn't like listening to them," he sniffed.

David pulled out another fag, lighting it.

* * *

Lucy had had a wonderful night. After the previous disasters she hadn't been expecting much but the dinner at Max's was wonderful, Thorn had been well-behaved, and there were no panicked calls from her children. It was fantastic.

Max was such a gentleman and she was flattered at the interest he was showing. After the divorce with her ex husband Lucy had just been expecting to take care of her boys while they got through school. Meeting another man had never crossed her mind.

Lucy was old now, not the hippie beauty she had been. She knew that.

So the wine and dine treatment was bringing back some of her old passion and confidence.

"Thank you again for tonight Max," she said as they pulled up to her father's house.

"Of course Lucy. I hope we get to do this again soon."

Lucy smiled, her cheeks flushing slightly in pleasure. "Oh I don't know Max, you're really sweet but I have to take care of my boys, you know? You've been really kind and I've loved our dates but there's a lot of things I need to get together before going into another relationship."

He smiled, turning the engine off. "Of course, I completely understand. Let me walk you up to the house?"

"Oh no, you don't have-"

"I insist, Lucy. It's dark out and what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't?"

"Well thank you then," she giggled as he motioned for her to wait.

He came around to her door, pulling it open with a slight flourish, and offered his hand. Well now he was just being flattering again but Lucy obliged and gently placed her own smaller hand in his. Once she was out of the car standing next to him, she couldn't help but feel small. Max was not a short man being at least a head taller than her and there was just something about his presence that made him seem larger than he was. It almost screamed dangerous but that was just ridiculous so she always chose to ignore it.

"Thank you again," Lucy said trying to fill the silence. "I'm sure we'll see each other quite often around the store."

He smiled gently at her and went to place an arm around her back when Sam's scream of 'Mom!' rang out.

"Sam?"

What in the world!? He was standing outside the house with two of the biker boys she vaguely remembered from when she first met Max. The native american with the bare chest and open leather jacket was holding a small child in a grey jean jacket with brilliant green eyes and a mop of black hair. Her son was by the blonde, presumably the leader of the group if she remembered their interactions correctly, in the black trench coat that had quite a few cigarette butts by his black biker boots.

"Sam! Oh, Sam what are you doing out here? What is that on your face," she cried rushing over to him, completely forgetting about her date. She grabbed his face between her hands gently, turning it side to side, looking for injuries. It certainly looked like dried blood but there was nothing to say why it was there except that it surrounded his mouth. His face was pale and he looked stiff and terrified. "Oh my son-"

"I would stop doing that if I were you."

She turned a glare onto the blonde boy. "What have you done with my son? And where is Michael, Sam?"

"If you don't back away, you're gonna get hurt."

"Now listen here mister," she started, her hands dropping; one to her waist and the other to point in the classical scolding pose.

"Lucy perhaps you should calm down," Max commented soothingly

She whirled on him with a firm scowl. "Just because we have gone on dates does not mean you-"

There was a a horrifyingly animalistic growl. She paused, her words getting stuck in her throat as she turned back around slowly. Her Sam, her precious, beautiful, sensitive Sam… had vivid orange eyes, his features twisted into harsh angles, fangs bared. She had a split second thought of 'my baby!' before there were strong arms wrapped around her middle, yanking her back. Sam was being restrained by the blonde biker. One arm wrapped was around his torso and arms and the other around his shoulders so his gloved hand could spread evenly across his eyes.

"Now Lucy I did warn you to calm down," Max's voice reverberated against her back as he held her steadily. "Poor Sam here has only just transitioned so it's a little hard to control his bloodlust under duress."

"Mom!"

Lucy stared helplessly as Michael appeared on the front porch, the door nearly being ripped off its hinges as it slammed into the wall. His eyes were also orange with the horrifying features that were still mirrored on his younger brother's face.

"You fuckers! Let them go," he shrieked his pitch rising with stress.

"I don't think you want me to that Michael. Poor Sam over here might go after his mother. What a tragedy that would be."

"David behave," Max scolded.

Lucy felt boneless, dizzy, nauseous. Her world… her boys… What had happened? The fangs flashed in her mind's eye and Sam's desperate screaming over the phone and then the dinner with the two Frog brother's Sam had brought over.

"Vampires," she whispered disbelievingly, her legs wobbling dangerously. She knew the legends just as any teen with interest in the supernatural did. She had just never looked to much into creatures, focusing more on the earthly magic of wiccans. As much as she detested it at the moment, Max was the only thing keeping her upright.

"That's right." He rested his chin gently upon her head. "And you will be my Queen Lucy. I knew all I had to do was get your boys first and you would soon follow."

She sucked in a trembling breath as Michael growled, the sound reverberating across the driveway.

"You haven't gotten anyone yet. All we have to do is kill you and we'll go back to normal."

There was a girl standing on the porch now, her stance strong even though her voice wavered. Behind her Lucy could just make out the forms of two familiar brothers standing in the house's doorway.

"No! No killing!"

The little boy in the other bikers arms was wriggling trying to get to the floor.

"Daniel stop," the dark haired man scolded solemnly.

"No! No killing please! I don't want my brothers to go to sleep!"

Lucy felt the lump in her throat grow bigger. Was this child one of them? She couldn't… couldn't even think about harming another person. She was a pacifist at heart, a flower child that preached for peace on earth.

"What do y-you want? You leave my boys alo-one."

"Oh Lucy. Your boys will be fine. Your boys and my boys will get along great!" She highly doubted that. "Why Michael has been with them the last few days-"

"Mom, no! You- don't you listen to him!"

"Mrs. Emerson they're monsters," the girl threw in desperately.

Lucy looked to Sam, who was limp in the blonde's arms, to Michael, who'd been so distant lately but had such heart wrenching horror scrawled across his face. She looked at her precious children and sighed.

"Okay Max. Okay."

"I knew you'd see reason." His arms tightened for a moment before releasing her. She turned to keep him in her range of vision, that sense of danger about him growing even stronger. She regretted ignoring it. "Dwayne, leave Daniel here and fetch the brothers won't you? We don't want them getting in the way."

* * *

He watched Dwayne stalk towards the house. Michael jumped in front of him claws out and ready to attack.

"Back the fuck away."

"Michael. Stop. Be quiet and put your claws away," Max ordered.

The boy did just that struggling the entire way. His blue eyes were wide and his mouth opened but no sound came out. It actually looked like it hurt to do that, as his face scrunched up and he crumpled to the floor a moment later. Star gasped, jerking forward as if to stop his fall. She glanced at the boys in the doorway that were holding a stake and a water gun in each hand.

"Now Star you be good as well. Stay right where you're at."

Star's eyes grew wide and her lips trembled as she pressed them into a thin line. Daniel could just barely make out water gathering in the corner of her eyes.

Daniel bit his lip. He was mad at Star and Michael of course. They had done terrible terrible things against the family but he didn't like seeing Star in pain. Michael… he felt like he should care but was it wrong that he didn't? He didn't know the older boy very well.

Dwayne had by then made it to the porch stairs and the Frogs, instead of running inside, pulled out water guns shooting with good aim right into his brother's face. Dwayne roared and back pedaled a few steps, his hands rising to clutch protectively at his injury. That must have been the holy water!

"That's it you little punks, you're dead meat," the biker growled, throwing his hands down and charging forward. Vampires were much faster than humans. The native american was behind the boys in an instant, gripping both of their heads and smashing them together with a meaty thwack. The Frogs dropped like stones to the floorboards as Dwayne sneered down at them.

"Daniel come here please."

Daniel came over at Max's urging, pursing his lips in displeasure at still being separated from his brother. It had been a long day, he was tired and everything was happening so fast.

"Now don't be like that dear boy," he chuckled, cleaning his glasses quickly before placing them back on his nose and placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. "This is Lucy, she'll be your new mother from now on."

"Mum," he said slowly, testing the word on his tongue. He'd never had a mum before since she got herself killed in a car crash. If that was even true since the Dursley's lied all the time.

He glanced back at the loud commotion, seeing Michael and Star trying to get the limp Frogs from Dwayne, their reluctant obedience having ended. His brother was standing tall by the porch railing, with one hand on the collar of each boy, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

Michael gave a mighty hiss and David strode over to the conflict, with Sam, now under control of himself, following on his heel with his head downcast.

"Oh my," Lucy murmured. Daniel turned back to see she was watching the same scene as him.

"I'm Daniel," he chirped, forcing a smile on his face. It was strange and not something he was used to doing; it came naturally with the boys. Max gave him an approving grin which made his smile a bit easier to keep.

She looked down with sad eyes and gave him a small smile. "Hello Daniel. It's a… pleasure to meet you. And how did you come to be with Max and his boys?"

Her speech was soft and she paused a lot but that's okay. Daniel understood she was nervous even if she didn't have to be. His family was great and if Max wanted her… well Michael was horrible but Sam didn't seem so bad so maybe Lucy wasn't either.

"They saved me," he chirped happily. This was an easy topic.

"Oh it's quite the story," Max commented jovially. "Why don't we take this inside, hm? It'll be much more comfortable this way."

"Of course. Of course. Why don't you tell me on the way in."

Daniel was perfectly ok with that. So he started with the beach and how he met Miss Amy as they walked towards the front door.

Dwayne was waiting right by the front door. Sam and David each had a hold of one of Michael's arms. They were dragging him up the porch steps with little protest from the brunette. Star was following both of them, her arms crossed and shoulders hunched. There had been hushed conversation going on while he'd been with the adults but Daniel's hearing wasn't great enough to pick it up yet. A lot had happened it seemed and the boy wasn't sure how to feel about that.

The entire group settled in the living room after Lucy reluctantly gave them all an invitation. Dwayne had dropped the Frogs to the floor after taking away the other water guns they had hidden in their many army pockets. He sat in the armchair, after flipping it back over and pulling it away from the kitchen door, looking like Thorn when the dog was keeping guard over Max.

David, Sam, Michael and Star ended up squished on the couch in that order. Star and Michael hand their hands clasped tightly with one other. Sam looked conflicted over which brother he should be talking to. David was sitting there looking like a happy cat, one arm slung behind Sam on the back of the couch and the other resting on his knee that was kicked up onto the other leg.

By this time Daniel was just ranting about how amazing his brothers were. He made sure to mention Marko's pigeons and Dwayne's books and how David really liked noodles and Paul made lots of money to spend on Daniel. Lucy was giving him a brighter smile now, her teeth reflecting the firelight.

"He's quite the delight isn't he?"

Max was cleaning his glasses again standing beside the fireplace, gazing into the dancing fire.

Lucy's smile faded. "And you're going to turn him?"

Her voice sounded sharp which caught the attention of the Michael and Dwayne, which had been gazing murderously at each other, and the rest.

"Of course not." Max turned slowly replacing his glasses. "Not yet at least. He needs to grow up before I do something so silly as to turn him. He's much too young."

"Good. I didn't…" She paused.

"No need to explain my dear. But now that storytime is over I think It's time you join the family, hm?"

Max nodded over to David, "Go stand with your brother my child."

Daniel complied, glancing at Dwayne. Dwayne was a lot safer but he also had the Frog brothers at his feet and he didn't want to be anywhere near them. David was a much safer option and Max had told him so.

"Hey chin up kid," David smirked using his free hand to tap the bottom of Daniel's chin. "This whole thing is almost over. Then we can go home. I'm sure Marko will let you pet his pigeons."

He smiled at the blonde vampire shifting closer to the armrest of the couch so he could lean on it.

* * *

It was just like he'd feared. The vampires had a hold over Michael and it looks like they'd gotten to Sam as well. From his vantage point he watched the motley group disappear into the house, with a sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he set his binoculars down in the dirt.

William Emerson thought he'd left this life behind when he moved to Santa Carla and, of course, a coven moves in only a few years later. Hiding from them on top of keeping the Widow Johnson's coven pacified was a hassle and a half but he'd done a decent job the last decade or so. Then Lucy's trouble with her ex-husband happened and he couldn't just leave her in the dust. Lucy and Jillian were the most precious treasure in his life. He'd just been hoping…

Ah, screw it. His family had to be cursed. Now it was once again up to him to save his kids and grandkids, this time from a much worse threat. With a huff of exertion -he was getting old dammit- he pushed himself off the uncomfortable dirt floor and plodded over to his jeep. The wooden stakes were roped loosely to the hood and if his half-baked plan worked out would fly directly into one of those blood suckers.

The drive was quick and he parked the car as close the house as he dared. Then he was sprinting his way over to the window to look at where he needed to aim.

His heart clenched.

Michael's head was bowed low over one of those infernal amatuer hunter's neck, a gypsy looking girl staring at the other boy near her feet and then at Michael aghast. Lucy looked to be in a daze, a small spattering of red against her lips and dried on the Head's wrist. Well shit.

It was video boy. He knew the man was suspicious as soon as he'd asked Michael for an invitation. Everything that happened at dinner had then been nullified after his stupid grandson's words. Who was not his grandson anymore, as his head flew back in -what was probably- ecstasy at the completion of his meal. He turned hungry orange eyes onto the girl's meal.

William took a deep breath to settle himself. He could deal with Michael after he took out the head. It looked like Lucy had just been turned and probably hadn't eaten yet. The head honcho was standing by the fireplace, a grin on his lips and William felt sickened, but he continued to watch. He needed to see where everyone else was.

The two bikers and Sam were seated on the couch, the brunette with the younger child in his lap keeping him occupied from the gruesome scene that Michael had created of the kid's neck. Lucy was sat in the love seat out of the line of fire while the last two where sat in the middle of the floor where the table used to be. Perfect, he'd have to be quick about this. If any of them moved he might miss big boss, then he'd be screwed. The older vamps were always the harder ones to deal with, their mesmers and illusions being almost impossible to handle alone.

William clenched his teeth in annoyance. If only he'd been a little more prepared with his weapons... but the Widow hated having anything other than those stakes on his car anywhere near their lair. They were too unwieldy too cause damage without being stupid. Half-baked plan it was.

The jeep slammed through the side of the house with ease causing plaster and dust to cloud the air and his lungs. A few of the wooden stakes flew from the hood as he slammed on the brakes and he heard a pained screech. Good he got one at least.

With unsteady legs he climbed out of the jeep squinting to see through the settling dust. A large orange pyre burst in front of him as a the vampire bit the dust. There were a few disturbing hisses and growls signifying how many were still left.

Damn.

He kept his guard up as he glanced at the newly revealed scene more clearly.

Lucy was… oh god. Oh christ. She was pinned to the wall, one of the stakes having gone through her entire lower torso. She must have stood up and started towards Max when he'd crashed the blood party. Her breaths were pained and wheezing, her newly restored blue eyes staring at him uncomprehendingly. His heart plummeted past his toes and into the underworld and he froze. Lucy was-she was a treasure, his precious beautiful girl given to him by Mary. And what would her sister think?

"Oh you are so fucking dead."

William Emerson cried. He hadn't tried hard enough to be rid of the vampires in the area, instead choosing to hide in his retirement. He was a coward.

* * *

Daniel coughed trying to get the dust from his lungs. He felt lightheaded and… weak. His vision was blurry and his nose was clogged and he wanted it to stop. Dwayne's hissing was reverberating through his chest, only a slight comfort to the little boy as he tried to regain his bearings.

Very quickly he was hit with exhaustion, his limbs growing heavy and his eyelids drooping without him wanting them too.

"Dwayne," he whimpered as the others around him started a small commotion. He could barely grasp what was happening. Something had happened to Max, he'd felt it very strongly but then everything grew so dim and he could barely feel the bonds he'd cherished so dearly with his brothers.

"It's okay Little Brother. It's okay."

He groggily tipped his face into the other's chest.

"Dad… Dad…"

"Lucy I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm so very sorry. Daddy's here."

"Michael, Michael please, it's Star! Star!"

"Um, David what're you-? No!"

"Oops. My claws slipped. Don't worry! You'll be seeing the old man real soon."

"No… no…. Dad! Dad!"

"Michael, you're hurting me. Please, let go! This isn't you!"

Daniel could hear them. The voices washed over him but they made no sense. He was just so very tired.

"David," Dwayne growled.

The other man tsked. "Waste of a meal-" There was a long scream that echoed and echoed inside his head then a wet gurgle. "Sam, grab up the other Frog. I'm sure Paul is hungry after babysitting poor Marko. I have to deal with your brother while he's still in a feeding frenzy. Dwayne take 'em all back… We'll discuss the kid later. Oh don't even start Sam, you can have your waterworks later, I'll even let you throw a punch at me no strings attached. Now be a good childe and do as you're told."

Daniel woke up shivering and sweating clutching the soft blanket he normally slept with. When had he fallen asleep? He blinked slowly at the blurry colors around him waiting for his vision to adjust. It didn't. His throat was very itchy and his mouth very dry and his tongue very heavy and cottony.

Daniel blinked again tears of frustration building in his eyes. He couldn't see anymore and everything hurt and was so heavy. What was going on? What was wrong with him?

The more he thought about the worse it hurt. His head started pounding and his throat felt like dry sand as he tried again and again to swallow past it. He let out a huff, his nostrils flaring as a few tears slipped down his cheeks. Something was very very wrong.

The feeling of his magic, the light airy flow around him he'd come to recognize after practising so much, was sharp and cutting instead of smooth and soothing. That had never happened before and it hurt hurt hurt! The pain was building and building like a pressure caught between his head and chest.

Daniel struggled to throw the blanket off of him, his stomach twisting harshly. He landed with a grunt on all fours, dry retching and panting as more and more tears started to fall. His eyesight hadn't been the best before but now the little boy couldn't see anything at all. He whimpered, mentally crying for his brothers as his face heated to near boiling. He gagged again sicking up burning stomach acid.

With a desperation he'd never felt before, Daniel kicked and struggled until the blanket wrapped around his legs was gone. He stumbled to his feet, staggering and almost falling over, his stomach churning with the need to retch again.

It hurt it hurt so much Daniel was beyond all thoughts. There was a need for help, protection, his brothers but beyond that a need to get out. To get away from the pain, the sharp cutting stinging burning pain of his magic surging around inside of him. Something was ragged, broken, turning itself back onto him.

Daniel stumbled, falling several times, scratching his knees and palms to bleeding and adding throbbing bruises to his alabaster skin. He needed away away away.

It was hours, days, minutes as he crawled up the lobby steps barely feeling the warmth of the sun through the haze of his pain. Another whimper, more pain, more retching. Splinters digging into his skin, unnoticed, inferior pain to the heat and sharp sharp magic.

He was burning burning burning burning until he wasn't. Instead he was compact, stretched, and somewhere _cold._

* * *

"FUCK! I'LL FUCKING MURDER THEM!"

Michael hunkered further into the couch, Sam clutched to his side. Dwayne was throwing a fit, smashing pieces of furniture around the cave. The bed had gone first, the ottoman next, even David's wheelchair had been thrown much to the blonde's displeasure. This was actually pretty fucking terrifying to watch. Sam, Paul, and Marko agreed.

Sam was smushed into his side, hiding his face between Michael's shoulder and the couch. Paul and Marko were crouched behind it peeking over the edge every now and then. David was crouched, cat-like, on the edge of the fountain watching the native american throw the broken pieces of the bed again and again as they splintered into tiny unrecognizable shards of wood and cloth.

"Dwayne," David growled as the elder vampire went after the wheelchair again.

Dwayne whirled with a mighty hiss, his entire body shuddering with his rage and chest heaving with labored pants. His orange eyes were alight with a hellish glow, his black mane of hair actually slightly floating behind him as if he were underwater.

"They. Took. Him."

Michael winced at every carefully punctuated syllable. If those… wizards were still around they would be strips of skin and gore at the moment. The majority of his mind purred in pleasure at the thought, they had stolen the youngest and most vulnerable member of their pack after all, but a tiny part flinched at the violence. He was a monster. He'd killed Star and oh god his mom… He immediately refocused on the situation, trying to force away the lingering human emotions still clinging to his psyche. David had explained it could take awhile for them to go away. The less you acknowledged them, the faster it happened. He wished it was immediate because the grief and pain was terrible.

"And we'll fucking get him back, Dwayne."

"HOW!? We have no way of tracking them and without Max we don't even know how to navigate their society!"

Michael licked his dry lips. After they had woken, Dwayne had noticed Daniel's absence immediately. They'd tracked his scent, sick and blood, all the way to the top of the bluff where it suddenly disappeared. The sharp sugary smell laid thick around the spot the boy had last been. David was adamant it was a stronger and older adult wizard.

They all agreed, Sam and Michael going along with it as they were new.

The one thing they couldn't figure out was how the wizard had found Daniel after all the time they'd had him. The only working theory they had was that the boy had been completely human again which had somehow allowed them to track him. But still why now after all this time?

"Then we learn," the blonde stated with solemn finality.

* * *

 **AN:** Yay! Last Chapter and the set up for the sequel that I might never make~!

This chapter was extremely difficult for me to write because I had to consider all the characters and their interactions and how they would affect future situations. Trust me I hated killing Lucy. She deserves everything and is best Mom. I'll fight you on that.

Oh yeah I've also been dragged right back into the KH fandom and have so many HP/KH crossover ideas. So not cool... T^T

So... tell me what you think? And if anyone wants to adopt the idea PLEASE DO. Just let me know :)


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